Goel in CM race, says he is more popular than Dikshit

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) weighs its options on a chief ministerial candidate, its Delhi unit chief, Vijay Goel, staked claim to the post on Wednesday.

Citing several surveys and opinion polls conducted by different media groups in the past one month, Goel said he was one of the most popular leaders in the city.

“All surveys and opinions have shown that the BJP will win the elections. Between me and Sheila Dikshit, I am ahead in terms of the popularity as a chief minister probable,” Goel told Hindustan Times.

Goel said the CM candidate should be decided in consultation with party workers. He said he had been working relentlessly for the past few months to strengthen the party. “The leader who is more active should get the post. We have really worked hard and the result was for everyone to see in the Modi rally,” he said.

He said people should refrain from maligning his image. “No one has been able to level any charges against me in the past 40 years,” he added.

Goel’s outburst came a day after news of the possibility of Harshvardhan being declared the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate hogged the headlines.

While sources claimed that the party may announce his name along with the first list of candidates, former party president and in-charge for Delhi Nitin Gadkari said the party was yet to take a call. “The BJP has not selected any leader as its chief ministerial candidate. The decision will be taken by the party’s Parliamentary board,” Gadkari said in a statement.